me I fell asleep.”
“Sitting straight up. Jake, this has got to end. You need a real night’s sleep at home in bed. I need the same. And we both need a good, hot nutritious meal.”
Jake recovered quickly from his nap. “Does this mean you’re asking me out?”
“No.” Her reaction was so quick, and so snappish, Holly even surprised herself. How could she react to Jake that way, of all people? “That is, I didn’t mean to suggest that we have dinner together. Just that we both need a hot meal and plenty of rest.”
“I understand. And you’re right. Maybe if I just finish this one thing…”
Holly felt herself clucking like a mother hen. “Jake Montgomery, I’ve never crossed you in the two years I’ve worked here. But this time I’m going to. Neither of us will be worth anything to this investigation if we get sick and worn-out. And you’re skating on thin ice, mister. Go home. Get some rest. Send out for a pizza, or Chinese or something. I know there’s probably nothing worth eating in that bachelor loft you call home.”
“You’re right. I think there’s a carton of orange juice, something that used to be cheese, and an almost empty mustard jar in the whole refrigerator. And don’t even get me started on the pantry. If I had mice, they’d starve.” Jake’s grin was wry. “And you’re right about going home for a change, too.”
“I know I am. And this time I’m going to walk out with you to make sure you actually leave. You keep telling me you’re going home at night and then you don’t.” Holly knew she sounded stern, but she’d learned from the best. Her mom had taught high school English for more than a dozen years before she’d become the receptionist at the Sentinel. Nobody could do stern like a high school English teacher. Jake was just lucky he wasn’t chewing gum.
The next morning Holly took her time heading for the office for a change. It was what she’d “traded” Jake for by making him leave early the night before. “I’ll go home now, and have a decent dinner on the way there, if you don’t show up until at least nine tomorrow morning. Deal?” His blue eyes were sharp again after his little nap.
“Deal. I’ll even make it ten.” Holly hadn’t told him that she’d spend the time before she came in lining up his mother’s Christmas gift. If he thought she was actually doing something for herself, he’d be more tolerant of the late entry into the office. But if she spent all that time on herself, she’d feel worse, so this made more sense.
She knew from past experience that Jessica Mathers Vance would be at her desk fairly early most days, and she’d be the one to speak to about some kind of gift for the shelter to make in Liza Montgomery’s name. Although what Liza hadn’t already given the shelter, Holly couldn’t imagine. In the time that Holly had volunteered there, an anonymous benefactor had donated quite a bit over the years, and a few months ago the mayor’s wife had quietly revealed herself to be that benefactor.
Still, it was good of Jake to actually realize how close the shelter was to his mother’s heart, and to know that doing something for Galilee would make her happier than some more traditional Christmas present. Holly sighed. Her boss was thoughtful in many ways when he put his mind to it. The shame was that he didn’t put his mind to it very often. When he had time to spend outside the office, he spent it socializing with a variety of lovely young ladies like Zoe.
Of course, she reflected, Jake was free to spend his time any way he liked. She just wished he didn’t seem to like that empty party life so much. It wasn’t as if drinking had any draw for him that Holly could see. And the “big money” aspect of that kind of social life didn’t seem to interest him. What did pull Jake into that scene was the biggest mystery about the handsome, secretive man she worked with every day.
When Holly got to Jessica’s office she was surprised to see it empty. It looked like Jessica had been there and just stepped down the hall for something, so Holly stood there by the doorway and waited for a minute.
Jessica’s office was brighter than Holly remembered it. Looking around, she tried to decide what the difference was. There was a great photo of Sam, Jessica and her sweet daughter Amy on the desk. It must have been taken on their wedding day this last fall. All three were smiling broadly at whoever had taken the picture.
It wasn’t just a photo or two that made the room brighter, though. It seemed a warmer, happier place than it ever had before. Of course, Holly hadn’t been in here since Jessica had found her daughter after she’d disappeared, kidnapped by a baby-sitter. Nothing about Jessica’s life had been particularly bright when she was looking for her daughter. Now that Amy was back and Jessica had married Sam, her life was so different.
As Holly stood lost in thought, praising God for the changes in her friend’s life, Jessica hurried down the hall toward her. “Holly, good to see you. I hope you haven’t just been standing here in the hallway very long.” She motioned her into the office and they both sat down.
Holly waved away her concern. “Not long at all. Besides, I was enjoying looking at a desk where you can actually see the top of it.”
Jessica laughed. “Ouch. I don’t have to ask how things are going at work for you, then, do I?”
“Not exactly. Jake is working on stuff for Alistair Barclay’s trial, and it’s coming up soon. I guess that’s partially why I’m here.”
Jessica looked confused. “What does somebody as slimy as Barclay have to do with you being here?”
“Just his trial. It has us so busy, and Jake so completely swamped, that I came by to do two things. I need for you to take me off the volunteer schedule for a while until things get back to normal.”
“I can pass that word on to Susan, the shelter’s director. I hope this doesn’t mean you’ll miss the Christmas party.”
“Not if I can help it. I can’t make room for much on my schedule this month, but if I do anything, it will be the party here. It’s always such a good time.”
Holly had been volunteering at the shelter for most of the time she’d been back in Colorado Springs since leaving her job in Ohio. This was probably the fifth Christmas she’d been around the Galilee Women’s Shelter, and she didn’t have any intention of missing the best Christmas party in town. Mayor Montgomery might have a more elegant one, and Jake probably went to half a dozen most years that were flashier than this one, but nobody had one where more delighted kids squealed over their gifts.
“I really hope you can make it. This one is going to be such a special Christmas for me personally. Lots of firsts involved.” Jessica’s gray eyes shone with happiness.
“I guess so. I’ll just have to make it here for that,” Holly said. “And it ties in nicely with the other reason for my trip over here.”
“Oh? If you’re going off the volunteer schedule, it can’t be an offer of help for the party.”
“Not exactly. At least not from me. But Jake needs to get his mom a meaningful Christmas gift, and he thought that contributing money for something here would be the best thing to do. Once you mentioned the party, I thought maybe I’d ask if you needed any more funding for it.”
“Always. Even with all the wonderful people like Liza Montgomery who give time and money to this place, there’s always more that can be done.” Jessica’s normally smooth forehead wrinkled. “Especially since we were counting on one hundred thousand dollars
